The Fourth Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia due in Moscow on 29-30 June will focus on innovations, chairman of the permanent commission on international affairs and national security of the Council of the Republic Sergei Rakhmanov told BelTA.
According to the senator, the Forum of Regions is an important event and is a great achievement in the bilateral relations. “The forum engages regional administrations in the process of interaction. In many instances it is easier to address the issues including economic ones at the regional level as there is less bureaucracy, more interest in concrete results,” said Sergei Rakhmanov. “Therefore, the Forum of Regions is an important additional element in the interaction between Russia and Belarus in general,” he added.
“This year's event is special. Firstly, it is based on the findings and recommendations that had been made earlier. Secondly, the emphasis is placed on innovations because without innovations, without putting scientific and technical ideas into practice, it will be difficult for our countries to move forward. We must work together in this regard,” Sergei Rakhmanov noted.
He recalled that a series of activities will be held as part of the forum. These will include an exhibition of innovative solutions. A total of 84 Belarusian companies and organizations will attend the exhibition and will present more than 250 products. “These will be R&D by the National Academy of Sciences, the Education Ministry and private manufacturing business. They are all structured in clusters (14): advanced technologies in the field of power engineering, biotechnology, health, education,” Sergei Rakhmanov noted. According to him, the exhibits were selected carefully, with preference being given to high-level innovations, including those done together with Russian partners under the auspices of the Union State programs. Considerable attention is given to youth projects.
“We are planning to show a number of world-class developments. Among them are the solutions of one of our IT-companies in the field of artificial intelligence,” the senator informed.
With regard to health, the exhibition will feature the technology associated with Belarus' achievements in organ transplantation, traumatology, cardiology and modern cellular technology.
In education Belarus will show the know-how associated with application of information technologies in the educational process. “They are designed to make the process of acquiring knowledge more efficient through self-study. For example, this is the database featuring the information from textbooks and reference literature. This goes beyond a regular circular and enables a student to make good use of time while learning,” Sergei Rakhmanov said.
Mechanical engineering companies will showcase the developments, with the emphasis on the solutions designed in conjunction with Russian partners.
The Forum of Regions is designed to promote direct contacts between Belarusian and Russian executive and legislative authorities, business communities and to work out the recommendations for improving the legal framework in order to boost economic growth. The event is powered by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Council of the Federation of Russia's Federal Assembly.
The upcoming plenary session will be themed around Belarus-Russia interregional partnership in high technology, innovations, and information society. The Inter-Parliamentary Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation will hold a meeting on interregional cooperation. The business program of the forum includes breakout sessions with the participation of businessmen and relevant ministries and agencies. The participants will discuss ways to advance the development of hi-tech competitive enterprises in Belarus and Russia, step up the cooperation in science and technology, and strengthen the role of information technology in the development of civil society institutions in the Belarus-Russia Union State. They will also consider problems and prospects associated with the harmonization of the laws in the integration context, and prospects for the cooperation between IT companies.